Sherman County eNews #170

CONTENT

Sherman County Sheriff’s Office June Incident Report

Take Precautions to Avoid Wildfire Smoke Inhalation

Links: Things to Think About & Things to Do

Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away. ~ Marcus Aurelius

The goal of the Local Community Advisory Council is to inform the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization (EOCCO) on how to best meet the needs of people enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan, as well as the whole community.

The Community Advisory Council will help the EOCCO:

Meet the health care needs of OHP enrollees and the community;

Identify and advocate for preventive care services;

Oversee the Community Health Needs Assessment;

Recommend a Community Health Improvement Plan;

Evaluate CCO services;

Help the CCO clearly communicate with OHP enrollees and others.

2. Sherman County Sheriff’s Office June Incident Report

3. Take Precautions to Avoid Wildfire Smoke Inhalation

In the midst of wildfire season, North Central Public Health District would like to remind residents to take precautions to avoid illness due to wildfire smoke inhalation.

Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases.

Poor air quality conditions are a health threat and all residents should limit their exposure to smoke. Those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children, are advised to stay indoors when the air-quality is poor.

Please visit the DEQ Air Quality Index found at the link below. The DEQ site is updated hourly and is color-coded for easy to read information. Unfortunately, the only permanent monitor for our region is in The Dalles, with Gov. Camp, Madras and Hermiston being the next closest monitors. A link is also provided below with information on the 5-3-1 Visibility Index if there is not a monitor near you.

Avoid breathing problems or other symptoms from smoke:

Be aware of smoke concentrations in your area. See the links below for DEQ’s Air Quality Index and Oregon Smoke blog.

Avoid outdoor exertion during such conditions. Avoid strenuous outdoor activity including sports practice, work and recreation.

Drink lots of water – staying hydrated can keep your airways moist which will help reduce symptoms of respiratory irritation such as scratchy throat, running nose and coughing.

Try to avoid driving in smoky areas. If you do need to drive in these areas, keep your windows rolled up and vents closed. If you need air conditioning, make sure you set your system on “re-circulate” to avoid bringing smoke into your car.

Avoid smoke by staying indoors, closing all windows and doors and use a filter in your heating/cooling system that removes very fine particulate matter.

People with concerns about health issues, including those suffering from asthma or other respiratory problems, should follow their breathing management plans; keep medications on hand, and contact healthcare providers if necessary.

Alexis de Tocqueville French sociologist and political theorist Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) traveled to the United States in 1831 to study its prisons and returned with a wealth of broader observations that he codified in “Democracy in America” (1835), one of the most influential books of the 19th century. With its trenchant observations on equality and individualism, Tocqueville’s work remains a valuable explanation of America to Europeans and of Americans to themselves. http://www.history.com/topics/alexis-de-tocqueville